Explore the Madu River Boat Safari (International Ram Sa Wetland) The Madu River Safari(Mangroves) area surrounding the river are all swampy marshlands covered in mangrove forests.The forest covers over 61 hectares, that is over 150 acres. 14 of the 24 species of mangroves are found in this area. It is interesting to note that mangroves play a huge part in preventing erosion. The value of the mangroves was understood in December 2004, during the devastating tsunami, when forest acted as a natural barrier protecting the region. The large growths of mangrove trees have caused a chain of ecological gain. The soil protected by the mangrove trees is very fertile. This has caused a rich growth of other wetland plants. Over 300 species, 19 of which are endemic, have been discovered so far. The region continues to be a treasure trove to biologists and ecologists with many undiscovered species in the unreachable depths of the mangrove forests. The plantlife in turn have supported a large number of wildlife that depends on them. The largest animal in the region is the wild boar. There are other smaller animals such as monkeys, a variety of squirrels, etc. When it comes to birds, cormorants and kingfishers are a common sight. For avid bird watchers, the mangrove forests are a dream coming true. There are over 111 bird species identified to inhabit the region. There are 31 types of reptiles, namely snakes, lizards and crocodiles. There are also over 50 kinds of butterflies and 25 kinds of molluscs found in the Madu River zone.
Kosgoda is famous for its sea turtle conservation project operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1988 to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. Since then it has released about 3.5 million baby turtles into the wild. The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the long sandy beach. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs (mostly green turtles) can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year. The hatchery buries the eggs in sand, and when they hatch around 50 days later the baby turtles are released into the sea at night. Only about one in 1,000 turtles survives to maturity. kosgoda turtle hatchery also has tanks for injured or disabled turtles, including albino turtles that would not survive in the wild. Kosgoda is famous for its sea turtle conservation project operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1988 to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. Since then it has released about 3.5 million baby turtles into the wild. The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the long sandy beach. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs (mostly green turtles) can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year. The hatchery buries the eggs in sand, and when they hatch around 50 days later the baby turtles are released into the sea at night. Only about one in 1,000 turtles survives to maturity. Kosgoda turtle hatchery also has tanks for injured or disabled turtles, including albino turtles that would not survive in the wild.
The beach of Hikkaduwa is situated 98 km from Colombo towards the south of Sri Lanka. This fun coastal town, 14 km away from Galle was the first (1960’s) of Sri Lanka’s beautiful beaches to be discovered by tourists. Snorkelling and diving in the clear waters are a major past-time along this stretch and is the most environmentally friendly way to see the colourful fish that dart around. The coral sanctuary found along the coast of Hikkaduwa is a large shallow body of water enclosed by a reef, decorated with layers of multi coloured corals, and is home to countless numbers of vibrantly coloured fish. Off the beach there is a collection of small islets surrounded by beautiful coral formations.
Galle Dutch Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, and then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than 423 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work done by Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. The fort has a colorful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria IV, for its unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries. The Galle Fort, also known as the Dutch Fort or the "Ramparts of Galle", withstood the Boxing Day tsunami which damaged part of coastal area Galle town. It has been since restored. You can walk around as they wish on top of Dutch fort and can do the shopping in Old city.
We had an unforgivable experience over two days to climb Adam’s peak at night and to see the sun rise . Bhati organised the overnight stay and picked us up from hotel. Excellent driving through the challenging traffic and treacherous mountain roads . Bhati is really punctual and super helpful . 100% recommend ( second time we booked him)
We had a truly wonderful tour with Mr Bhathiya, he was recommended by my sister-in-law from her previous visit to SL. From the start Bhathiya was incredibly quick to respond and super easy to communicate with. He was very flexible and helped us with everything. Bhathiya not only drove us to and from Yala, Udawalawe and finnally from Galle to Colombo but was also a great guide throughout the whole trip. He told us interesting facts about Galle Fort, where he picked us up, and other places we passed. He handled all our tickets and made sure we got a great spot at the elephant transfer center, arriving just in time to see the feedings without any waiting. He also found us an excellent guide for the safari itself, knowing all the birds and animals. We chose to go midday, so we weren't expecting to see a lot of active animals, but we still saw almost everything except a leopard! Several elephants even walked right up to our jeep, which was incredible. Our safari drivers chosen by him were amazing. They knew exactly where to go and easily spotted animals that were hard to spot. Bhathiya drove us back with plenty of time to enjoy our evenings and was always happy to take us wherever else we wanted to go, including shopping for my wife. His car was always spotlessly clean, cool, and comfortable. We would absolutely contact & recommend Bhathiya again for any future trips to Sri Lanka!
We were on a trip to south srilanka, from Bentota to Galle & then Welligama. The trip was very well organized covering all important places to visit, with professional drivers & well kept cars.
Thank you Bathi for going over and above the expectations. We truly had a memorable stay in Sri lanka. Thanks for taking care of us in the best way possible. Will definitely recommend your services to friends and family.
Had an amazing day out with my wife, bhathi was really friendly and full of information on the area.
We had the most amazing time with Bhathi seeing the sites of eastern Sri Lanka! Sea turtle hatchery, Madu Ganga River safari and moonstone mines. What an excellent tour guide and super informative too! Ask Bhathi anything - his knowledge of the country, heritage and culture is extensive! Thank you for making our trip so enjoyable!
This was actually a half day trip. Bhathiya met us on time in his posh car and his wife had kindly made us the most moist lemon cake you’ve ever tasted. First we drove to the Madu river for a two hour boat trip through the mangrove swamps. On route, Bhathiya taught us lots about Sri Lankan history and culture as well as the current political situation. On the boat trip we saw plenty of wildlife with an eagle, land monitor, cormorants, kingfisher, black faced monkeys and jellyfish. We stopped at Cinnamon Island and sampled cinnamon tea while watching a guy make cinnamon sticks by hand. From there we stopped at a Buddhist temple on another island for a brief lesson in Buddhism where the monk gave us a bracelet for long life. A short drive up the road took us to a turtle hatchery where they buy the eggs from fishermen and release the baby turtles back into the wild. When fully grown they will be 2 metres but these were tiny. We got to hold several. A great day out, recommended
Great fella! We have a really comfortable tour for 1 day and feels care for all time! Thank you so much! 100% recommended
The river ride was incredible, a world you wouldn't know was there. Dozens of islands within the river delta, with everything from a cinnamon shaman to a Buddhist temple tucked onto little islands. The turtle sanctuary was fantastic also.
Well, what a fantastic trip. Our Sri Lankan adventure began from the moment Bhathiya met us at the airport . He meticulously planned our tour, taking care to include all our requests, Sigiriya, Tea Plantations, Yala National Park and Adam’s Peak to name a few. That said, whenever we wanted to change plans he was fully on board and adaptable. For example we decided we wanted to include a white water rafting trip one day, so it was immediately planned for the next afternoon. We added in a morning safari to Bundala National Park to go bird watching, all organised efficiently and at last minute. His enthusiasm for his country bubbles over as he talks about Sri Lankan history and culture. He even tries to teach you some Sinhala. It is a beautiful country with so much to explore, ranging from mountains, forests and plantations to padi fields and beaches. Well worth a visit if you can and I can’t recommend Bhathiya Tours enough. Bohoma Istuti Barthi
This day trip, and particularly Bhathiya, was fantastic. With less than 24 hours notice on WhatsApp he sorted us out a packed day to fit in everything we wanted, and made things so quick and easy. He arrived right on time in a very clean and comfortable car, and made us feel so at ease that we've already asked him to organise our other tours as well! He always went the extra mile, even bringing some lovely food for us that his wife made. Couldn't recommend Bhathiya enough and would definitely (and are!) use him again.
Jeśli planujecie wyprawę na Sri Lankę i szukacie przewodnika idealnego, Bathiya to absolutnie najlepszy możliwy wybór. Spędziliśmy z nim niesamowity czas i z ręką na sercu mogę powiedzieć, że odmienił naszą podróż.Bathiya ma ogromną wiedzę o historii, kulturze, przyrodzie i ukrytych perełkach wyspy. Opowiada z wielką pasją, a nie jak z nudnego podręcznika. Odpowiedział na każde nasze pytanie i pokazał nam miejsca, do których sami nigdy byśmy nie trafili. Ponadto jest niezwykle profesjonalnym, punktualnym i bezpiecznym kierowcą, co na lankijskich drogach jest ogromnym atutem.To, co wyróżnia Bathiyę, to jego niezwykła osobowość. Jest niezwykle ciepłym, serdecznym i cierpliwym człowiekiem z ogromnym poczuciem humoru. Od pierwszego dnia dbał o nasz komfort, bezpieczeństwo i dobre samopoczucie. Reagował na bieżąco na nasze potrzeby i elastycznie dostosowywał plan dnia, abyśmy wyciągnęli z wyjazdu jak najwięcej.Dzięki niemu poznaliśmy prawdziwą, autentyczną Sri Lankę i zakochaliśmy się w tym kraju. Bathiya wszedł w tę podróż jako nasz przewodnik, a odszedł jako prawdziwy przyjaciel.Dziękujemy za wszystko, Bathiya! Gorąco polecam każdemu!
Srilanka to najpiękniejszy kraj w jakim do tej pory byliśmy a dużo podróżujemy. Jesteśmy 49 latkami i podróżujemy z 7 letnim synem . Mieliśmy wielkie szczęście że poznaliśmy naszego przewodnika po Srilance ; rodowitego Srilandczyka, bardzo mądrego i mającego ogromną wiedzę na temat przyrody ekonomii polityki religii socjologii na Srilance . Dodatkowo nasz przewodnik jest bardzo spokojnym , cierpliwym, spełniający nasze prośby dotyczące podróżowania , i zawsze uprzejmym gościnnym człowiekiem. Na każdą wycieczkę czyściutkim z klimatyzacją autem zgłaszał się punktualnie miał dla nas domowej roboty pyszny lunch też przygotowany pod dziecko i to co tu najważniejsze butelkowaną wodę . Nasz przewodnik załatwiał nam Mądrych kulturalnych wesołych przewodników po parkach narodowych przez co zwiedzanie było jeszcze milsze. Opowiedział nam bardzo bardzo dużo o buddyzmie i hinduizmie tłumacząc te zawiłe sekrety religijne w bardzo prosty sposób. Na koniec napiszę że nasz przewodnik zawsze odnosił się do nas z szacunkiem i zawsze czuliśmy się bardzo bezpiecznie z nim w tym jednak do końca innym zupełnie od Europy kraju. Srilanka to kraj w którym wpływ zanieczyszczenia środowiska oraz rozwój cywilizacyjny wywarł jeszcze znacznie mniejszy negatywny wpływ dlatego warto tu przyjechać . Pozdrawiam serdecznie Marta z Rodziną
I am very impressed by this country and the hospitality of Mr. Bhathiya Palliyaguruge. I recommend everyone who wants to have some fun to come here and relax. The atmosphere is great and so is the food.
Highlights: Schöne Bootsafari mit verschiedenen Stopps (Tempel und Zimtfabrik) und Besuch einer Schildkrötenauffang Station mit der Option kleine Schildkröten ins Meer freizulassen (gegen kleine Spende...). Plus: gratis Wasser und selbst gebackener Kuchen zum Frühstück :) Zudem Besuch Fort Galle mit Ausblick auf die Stadt. Von Tangalle aus schon ein gutes Stück zu fahren, aber für einen Tagesausflug schon ok.
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